What It Means To Say San Francisco Giants, 2010 World Champion

The San Francisco Giants are World Series Champions. What does that mean in the grand scheme of things, other than the all-important truth that we have now won a World Series more recently than the Yankees and the Dodgers?

I have spent my life hoping that it would happen. Now that it has, it's hard to find the words to express what it means. The Giants won the World Series? Seriously? All this after being predicted to finish fourth in the division? You would think it was a straightforward question, the meaning of a World Series victory, but no.

The first game I ever attended was with Dad and our landlord in Santa Rosa. The Giants beat the Atlanta Braves at Candlestick Park behind Bob Brenly's three errors and two home runs. That was back in 1986. Rob Schneider, of all people, mentioned that exact game on the televised coverage of the celebratory parade (I am allergic to his comedy, generally, but he turned out to be an articulate and devoted Giants fan), which made me feel a link a larger world.

Obviously the Giants have been close before, in 1989 and 2002. That story has been covered many times. And what the victory means to me is probably not the same as it means to other fans, so all I can write about it is what it means to me. And even then, I'll stick to what I would like it to mean, because I'm still too close to it all.

All the pressure is off! Now that we've won a championship, outlasting all comers, we can sit back and enjoy the beauty of baseball qua baseball. Maybe Barry Zito can relax and just let the ball fly now, without the pressure of living up to his mega-inflated salary. And it will certainly make things easier for Marina, as I'll be able to resist yelling and swearing at the TV for a good long time, at least until April.